Joy turned bitter, and the bleeding heart stopped beating
by Rubies and Aces
Summary: "If I could, I'd chose not to do this..." "I deserve it; you've finally beat me..."


Etsuko walked forwards silently, head hung low. "Why did no-one tell us it would be this hard?! How is this fair?!...Kyo…" Etsuko fell silent mid-frustrated yell. Kyo just stared at the ceiling, a mix of anger, frustration, guilt and despair clouding his head. "…Ninjas are just tools, they are easily disposed of…" Kyo finally answered, swallowing the lump in his throat. Etsuko's shoulders shook and her face contorted into an expression of desperation as Kyo kept walking forwards.

"You know…I can give you one last wish...It's only fair…" Kyo muttered, biting the inside of his cheek. "Then…take me to the training grounds…and the burial…please" Etsuko said, smiling half-heartedly. Kyo nodded before beginning to walk. Etsuko once again, silently followed, erasing all thoughts from her mind. She realized Kyo was giving her a chance to escape but she couldn't bring herself to take it; after all, wasn't this what every-one of her victims had felt? Who would she leave behind? Did she even deserve it?

Kyo seemed to be deliberately distracted as they walked, eyes watering once or twice at the thought of what his mission was and the civilians spitting insults at Etsuko; didn't they know how hard it was to have to do this?! Etsuko didn't seem to mind and just smiled at the people of Yugakure; she got what she deserved, right?

As soon as they set foot in the training grounds, Etsuko flopped down bellow the familiar tree in the middle of the area. Kyo smiled sadly and joined her, remembering the days when they had the brightest futures…

He turned to Etsuko and frowned; she was grinning with a glint of what was without doubt, insanity. "On the first page of our story, the future seemed so bright…then this thing turned out so evil…I don't know why I'm still surprised; even angels have their wicked schemes but you take that to new extremes…" She said to herself before looking at Kyo. "You'll always be my hero" "Even though you've lost your mind…I'm sorry" "It's nothing, I won't be alone where I'm going" "But…aren't you immortal…?" "I gave up, Kyo. Long before coming back, I gave up" Etsuko muttered before taking off the familiar necklace and handing it to Kyo.

"Put it on Sensei's grave, put the ring and cloak in the Amegakure hideout, put kindness by Hidan's grave and…don't tend mine" "Alright" Kyo answered, a bit taken a back "Take this…I made it on your birthday" Etsuko said, handing Kyo a clay flower that had a few clumsy finger-indents on it but had been painted with painstakingly delicate strokes. "Heh…Dei-chan wouldn't like it" She chuckled before standing. Kyo stood, too, flower held tightly in his hands. "Kyo…if it were your last hour, what would you do?" "…" Kyo didn't answer and instead glared. "My last hours aren't close" he snapped. "…I knew it, Kyo…let's get this over with, alright?" Etsuko said coldly, eyes growing distant. Kyo sighed bitterly before nodding.

Hidan's grave was nice; it really was more than Etsuko herself hoped for. Etsuko exhaled deeply before kneeling on the scorched ground and placing her hands on the ground. Kyo watched, attempting to cut off any feelings of pity as Etsuko's expression grew into a scared look, one she had worn often in her childhood. "I'll join you today. Tell everyone I'm coming home. Tell the world I'm coming home, like I did" she said simply before standing, dusting off her dirty clothes and walking up to Kyo before grabbing his shaking hand. "Do it now…I don't want to have to wait…I want to keep my last shreds of sanity" Etsuko pleaded. Kyo's face darkened as he gave a nod, taking out a kunai. Etsuko looked at him with a serene smile; the last smile she would give as her lungs began to ache with the breath she was holding. Kyo closed his eyes and…it was done. Etsuko simply gasped and slumped over his shoulder, seeking at least a small amount of sympathy in her last moments. Kyo closed his eyes. "When did things turn so wrong?" "The moment we were born…Arigato…" Etsuko whispered and then…it really was the end.

Kyo sighed; he had known…all along, he had known it would end like this…

He held the corpse almost affectionately before laughing. "I'm coming home…wait for me…" He could've sworn the clay flower had looked more wilted that second before he, too, took off the necklace the four had worn and dropped it on the eerie grave.

He smiled at the feeling of a pair of arms around him before looking to his side. Ripping off his headband, he gave one final chuckle. His only regret was not being able to do everything Etsuko had asked him to do.

Weapons are easily replaced…


End file.
